She Chose Him
by Blue Seidr
Summary: April is not a prize to be won. She has feelings too, yet all Donnie and Casey do is bicker like she isn't even there. She has a choice in the matter too; it's her heart after all. Leo helps her escape the latest Donnie and Casey fight, helping her get a little payback for ignoring her. Later that night, April makes her choice on who to give her heart to. Bad summary, IK, plz read!


**Hi! Okay, so a good deal of people are going to hate me after this. Then again, maybe not.**

***UPDATE 6/28 11:20 pm ! Just found the pic that inspired me to write this. It's called Plot Twist by teneelilangel on Deviantart. Don and Casey were fighting with April in the middle and she finally says, "Forget this. I chose Mikey." The picture was hilarious, and inspired me to do this, but with a big tweak.**

**Also, this is a oneshot, but I have a similar chapter story on my profile. Thank you people who asked me to write more, I really appreciate it.***

**Enjoy!**

April sat on one of the couches lining the edge of the pit and sighed. They were at it again. Like two dogs fighting over the last piece of meat, Casey and Donnie stared each other down with open hostility, tense words growled from their throats, each daring the other to make a move. And it killed April to know that she was the piece of meat.

Oh, not _officially. _April had no idea what this little fight was _officially_ about. It didn't really matter, because the unofficial reason, the real unspoken reason there was so much tension between the two, was always the same. Her.

Leo came over from his spot near the kitchen doorway and sat down next to her. "You alright?" He asked, a sympathetic smile on his face.

April sighed again. "I guess." Neither Donnie nor Casey turned to look at her from the other side of the room. "I just wish they would stop fighting over me."

Leo flinched, then went a bit red. "Wh-what? Fighting? Over you? Why -" Leo stuttered, trying to play it off for his brother.

"Leo, it's okay. I know. Casey doesn't even try to hide it, heck he drops hints, and Donnie isn't very good at hiding it."

"Oh." Leo didn't know what else to say.

"I know I should be flattered, but they act like two kids fighting over a toy. They don't even ask me about it." April found herself saying. She always found she could speak her mind with ease around Leo. He had that aura that was calming and silently encouraging.

Leo smiled ruefully. "That must suck." She glared at him and he held his hands up in surrender. "I know, not helpful. Just thought I'd state the obvious. Sorry."

"It's not your fault." April sighed for the third time. She looked back over at her two competing knights, who had grown louder in their bickering, and cradled her face in her hands, elbows on her knees as she leaned forward.

Leo frowned at her troubled look. He hated seeing his friend in such obvious distress and discomfort. It couldn't be easy to be caught in the middle of two friends battling for her attention. He also didn't like that Donnie kept rising to Casey's bait, or even initiating the fights himself. He didn't except them to be BFF's, but fighting constantly when everyone knew what it was really about was unacceptable. In his mind, he made a silent vow to have a talk with Donnie about it. For now though, he needed to help April. She definitely didn't need this on top of everything else in her life.

"Want to escape? And maybe get a little payback?" He asked her with a mischievous grin.

April glanced over. "Yes PLEASE." She said.

Leo grinned even more, leaned over, and whispered in her ear. Soon April had an identical grin on her face.

* * *

Leo waited for a sign of a lag in Donnie and Casey's argument, then raised his voice. "Hey, April!"

Don and Casey paused, their eyes flickering towards the pair on the couch.

"Yeah?" April answered.

"Want to go for a walk? It's kinda stuffy in here. And I'd sure like your company." He added in a flirty voice, flashing a flirty smile to April's surprise. She didn't know Leo knew how to flirt. He was pretty good, too.

"Sure! I'd love to, Leo!" April beamed. Leo stood up first and held out his hand to April. She graciously accepted.

Donnie and Casey now full-out gaped, their opponents forgotten. Leo continued to hold April's hand as they walked to the door, and April went so far as to link her arm with his.

The two passed right between the formerly fighting guys. April smiled happily and waved to both of them, and the look of absolute shock on their faces almost made April give up the gag and start laughing then and there. But she stayed strong and contained her giggles.

"Hey Leo? Do you think we could swing by Antonio's and pick up a pizza? I'm kinda hungry."

"Of course. I know this spot nearby that we could eat it at."

"Sounds like a date." Donnie and Casey's jaws dropped at the D-word, and April had to bite the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing. She saw Leo's shoulders shake slightly, and although his face gave nothing away, she could tell he too was holding back laughter.

They reached the turnstiles and Leo helped her over them. They walked down the subway tunnels a little ways, then stopped.

"Don?" Casey's voice echoed down the tunnel with a shocked tone.

"Yeah Casey?" Donnie's voice with the same time of shock.

"I think we both just lost. To _Leo._"

Leo quickly pulled her a few more yards down the tunnel, then bursted out laughing, collapsing onto his back. April joined him enthusiastically, picturing the two shell-shocked teens. Totally worth it, just to see the look on their faces. They laughed for what felt like an eternity. Every time they'd get close to winding down, one of them would remember and started laughing with renewed gusto, prompting the other to laugh as well. Finally, they both calmed down, but even then it was a while before the chuckles petered out completely, and it was another while after that before they could breathe normally enough to talk.

"That was _awesome._" Leo gasped, sitting up.

"I should have done that weeks ago." April agreed, a huge grin on her face.

They were quiet a little while longer, then Leo broke it. "Hey, do you actually want to get that pizza? Because I actually am hungry. Mikey's pizza leaves something to be desired. Like, ediblity."

April laughed. "Sure, Leo."

* * *

The two friends made their way topside and surfaced near the chosen pizza place. Leo pitched in what money he had in his belt and combined with her own, April bought a medium pizza. She met Leo in the alley next store and they climbed fire escapes until they reached a relatively secluded rooftop. Leo couldn't risk being seen, so it was either the roofs or the sewers. Both agreed the rooftops were the better option.

They each grabbed a slice and chewed on both their food and their thoughts for a while in comfortable silence.

"So April?" Leo asked.

"Yeah?"

"You don't have to answer if you don't want to, it's none of my business, but, um, how do you feel about Don and Casey?" Leo asked shyly, ducking his head as soon as he said his piece.

April sighed and sat her slice of cheese down. "I honestly don't know, Leo. I have feelings about them, I just don't know what any of them actually mean, and there's even someone else that I have feelings about. I didn't want to hurt anyone by leading them on before I figure out who it is I like, so I didn't say anything. But obviously that's not working."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, they just keep trying harder and harder to get my attention. When I say no to one or both of them, they'll fall a long way, all because I wasn't clear with them from the beginning." April frowned, pulling her legs close.

Leo frowned as well, and scooted closer, wrapping an arm around her back. "April, it's not your fault. You did the right thing by not messing with their emotions."

"I should have said _something,_ though." April persisted, subconsciously leaning in on Leo.

"Like what? You didn't know how you felt then, and you still don't. If you had said anything without being absolutely sure that that was how you really felt, you may have done more harm than good. Waiting was and still is the best option." Leo smiled down at her.

April returned it. "Thanks Leo. You're right." She glanced playfully at him. "How did a guy like you get good relationship advice?"

"What do you mean, a guy like me?" Leo played along. "Just because I live in the sewers doesn't mean I don't know about emotions."

"Uh-huh. Who's your source? Captain Ryan?"

"No, of course not. Dr. Phil."

"Of course." April rolled her eyes jokingly. "Leo the teenage mutant ninja turtle watches Dr. Phil."

"So what are you going to do about Casey and Don?" Leo asked, getting serious again. "You aren't going to let them fight anymore, are you?" He guessed.

"Not if I can help it." She said forcefully. "I'm sick of them treating me like I'm a prize to be won."

"Then tell them that. Tell them that you're sick of their fighting and they'll fall over themselves trying to be nice to each other." April giggled.

"I'm serious April. You're a person too and you have a say in this as well. Probably a bigger say than they do. And trust me, I will talk to Donnie about it."

"Thanks." April leaned forward, out of Leo's grip, and picked her pizza back up. Leo let his arm return to his side and went back to enjoying his half of the pizza.

* * *

"Thanks for helping me escape the Lair." April said as she threw their now empty pizza box into a nearby dumpster.

"You're welcome. I was sick of listening to them bicker myself. Plus it was my great honor to help you, fair maiden." Leo said in a Medival accent, giving a deep bow.

"The honor was all mine, Sir Leonardo." April mimed curtsying, which was hard to do without a skirt, then giggled. Leo was such a dork.

Leo laughed as well. "You know, we're going to be in so much trouble when we get back. My brothers are going to pester the living daylights out of us."

"Let them." April waved away his concerns. "It'll be fine. But seriously Leo, thank you."

"And seriously April, it was my pleasure. I never get to hang out with you, and it's kinda nice." Leo smiled, a faint splash of red filling his cheeks.

"Only kinda?" April teased, while her heart beat faster at his remark.

"Okay, it was very nice. Happy?" Leo smiled again, rolling his eyes.

"Yes."

"Good, cause I wasn't going higher than that." He joked. Leo lifted up the manhole cover, then paused. "Do you want to go back to the Lair, or do you want me to take you home?"

"The Lair's fine. Besides, I left my bag there. But you could walk me home after I pick it up?" The way she said it, it almost sounded like a question, and April found she felt happy and excited when Leo nodded eagerly.

"Sure thing!"

* * *

Leo led April quickly back to the Lair. He peeked inside, and seeing the main room abandoned, ushered April in.

"Your mission, " he whispered, " if you choose to accept it, is to get in, get your bag, and get out without alerting any of the rebels of your presence."

"I accept." April whispered back. She slipped away from Leo, picking her way across the room until she reached her bag. She slung it over her shoulder and scampered back to Leo. "Mission accomplished." She chirpped. Leo gave a thumbs up, and the pair slipped back out of the Lair, no one any the wiser of their brief presence.

* * *

The walk back to April's place was short. The pair talked and laughed the whole way, chatting about training and day-to-day life. They carefully avoided any mention of Donnie or Casey, and soon found themselves in the alley besides April's aunt's apartment.

"See you tomorrow, April?"

"Yeah, unless Irma calls. She's been complaining that I don't spend any time with her anymore, and to be frank she has a point."

Leo grinned sheepishly. "Yeah, um, go hang out with your friend. We'll still be here."

"Thanks again Leo."

Leo rolled his eyes. "Enough April. Anybody else would have done it."

"Yeah, but you're the one who thought of it."

They were standing in front of the building now.

"Goodnight April. Sweet dreams." Leo smiled.

April smiled back, then on impulse leaned in, stood on her toes, and lightly kissed Leo's cheek. "I think I've made my decision. Goodnight Leo." Leo's eyes widened, and a hand drifted up to the spot her lips had touched his skin. April smiled over her shoulder, then slipped inside her aunt's home.

Leo stared after her for moments afterwards. She had made her decision? And she had kissed his cheek? Did that mean - She chose him? The shy turtle who had never dared to say anything that would even hint his crush? The one who thought he had blown it when he had made it sound like he had a thing for a girl in the Foot, trying to gauge April's reaction? The dorky guy who had kept her at arm's length, afraid of her and Donnie's and then Casey's wrath if he tried to make a move? She chose him? The turtle who had always been there for her? The boy who helped her train and given advice? The one who fell in love with her all over again every time their eyes met? She chose him. She chose _him. _Not Donatello, not Casey Jones. Leonardo. April chose Leonardo.

**Okay, before you start cussing April (or me) out, let me explain. I see it like April had feelings for all three of them in a way, but wasn't sure what any of them meant. She wasn't sure who she liked, and she didn't want to hurt anyone. Spending time with Leo helped her decide. Leo listens to her and gives her advice and is all-around a really nice guy who cares about how she feels.**

**Oh, Heck, I really just wanted to write another Leo/April. You know, they need a ship name. Leril? Apreo? *shrug* I'm not good with ship names.**

**Anyway, please review and have a great day.**


End file.
